𝐆𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐨𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 | 𝐀𝐥𝐥 𝐨𝐟 𝐔𝐬 𝐀𝐫𝐞 𝐃𝐞𝐚𝐝

𝟐 | 𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐲𝐬𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐦

Not knowing how to tell him otherwise, Cheong-San ignores the statement entirely, going to look out the window, agitated and guilty for losing sight of you in the madness. You and On-Jo would be his priority from now on, and he'd do whatever it takes to safeguard the two of you, even if it meant trading his own life to do so. Sensing his unrest, On-Jo comes by and links her arm through his. "Y/N will be alright. Su-Hyeok wouldn't let anything happen to her." She gives Cheong-San a slight smile, which he returns, welcoming the much-needed reassurance.

"Why are these zombies so fucking fast? When I watched The Walking Dead, they didn't have this much endurance or speed. What, does Korean kimchi make them run faster than American cheese?" Dae-Su exhales loudly.

"Well, this definitely isn't The Walking Dead. It's Train to Busan," Cheong-San mumbles.

Nam-Ra looks downward as Cheong-San turns away briefly. "Is that—"

Someone's palm slamming into the window surface sends Cheong-San whipping back around, causing On-Jo to jump away, back next to I-Sak. "It's Bare-Su!"

Dae-Su and Wu-Jin run over frantically. "Hurry, push him off!" Wu-Jin tries to close the window at the same time Cheong-San pries it open.

"Y/N is with him!" Nam-Ra shouts, alerting everyone to two more survivors.

Hearing your name, Wu-Jin relents and rushes to aid Su-Hyeok over the windowpane along with Cheong-San and Dae-Su—not that he really needed much assistance. As soon as Su-Hyeok's toes touch the ground, he's back to throwing his body out the window again, leaning over with his arms outstretched. "Y/N, hurry! Climb up!" Both Wu-Jin and Cheong-San observe anxiously as you dodge advancing zombies while Dae-Su holds Su-Hyeok back from toppling headfirst out the window.

You ascend as fast as you can manage with red drenched hands swiping at your feet. The grasp of death clamps down onto your left ankle in a vice-like grip, resulting in you losing balance momentarily as that was the foot you were currently stepping on, your right leg in midair trying to step onto the next rung. Su-Hyeok's eyes widen in horror as your hands slip for a second. You didn't realize you were holding your breath until you steady yourself once more, kicking one zombie right in the face with a sickening crunch to its nose, sending it flying backwards.

Enough. Dad taught me better than this.

You start climbing two steps at a time, just as a former teacher in a sweater vest knocks into the base of the ladder with the entire force of his body, disrupting the means for it to stand upright. With all his might, Su-Hyeok sticks his arm out as far as it will go, and you briefly wonder if you'd make it as you jump. Your fingertips barely graze Su-Hyeok's but he grabs it nonetheless, straining to keep you from slipping, dangling by sheer will. Looking up into his eyes, your heart hammers in your chest as a zombie horde flock together below, awaiting your fall.

Wu-Jin also reaches down, and you gather your strength to swing your other arm up for him to take as you throw one leg onto the window ledge with the pull of both boys. Your exposed knee scrapes painfully on the cement wall, but it was the least of your concerns at the moment, already having had enough of playing this life-or-death game. You're kneeling haphazardly on the edge with your arms around Su-Hyeok's shoulders as he pulls you into the classroom, before collapsing in a heap on the floor after making sure you weren't harmed, exhausted and in disbelief.

Nam-Ra is about to approach you, relief evident in her features, when without warning, Wu-Jin pulls you into an unexpected hug, surprising you. You spot Nam-Ra's eyebrows rise up at the sight before she gives you a nod and heads back to her seat by the windows, signature earbuds back in. It wasn't that you weren't friends, you were just more inclined to label Wu-Jin as a classmate or even an acquaintance at best. You were closer to his older sister, Ha-Ri, and even then, that was completely unintentional, the meeting accidental.